Letters of David Francis Smith, July 1941- February 1942 - Part 5

ON ACTIVE SERVICE

BY AIR MAIL

PAR AVION

PASSED BY CENSOR 

NO 2780

[[J ?]]

Mrs. D J. Smith

C/o Mrs. H. Watts

Symonds St

Queenscliff

Victoria

Aust

VX 25593  WO"  D F. Smith

Signals 8 Aust Div

A.I.F.

Malaya

No. 73.         

VX 25593

W.O." D. F. Smith

Sigs 8 Aust Div

A.I.F.

Malaya

20.12.41

My Darling Rene,

Just a few lines

to let you know that I'm O.K.

& still in the land of the living.

Was expecting a letter from

you in the last mail, but

unfortunately I missed out,

am living in hopes of collecting 

a couple tomorrow.

Things are just the same

here with us, nothing of note

having happened up to date,

things are very quiet, but appear

to be rather brisk further north.

According to the news these

days, things appear to be exceptionally

.2.

good over the other side, & here

just so, so, maybe I'm optimistic

but I think things will go the

other way in the very near

 future.

How are things down in

your part of the globe, according 

 to to our  papers & news, they are

moving around quite a fair

 bit.  We have rather decent

Wireless Set at present, & get

rather a decent kick out of

listening to 3 L.O. for news etc

at night.

As you would guess our

lighting system at present isn't

so hot, one is a little bit up

hill writing a letter after dark,

& can't say that I get much of 

a chance during the day time.

Have just wrapped up your

(28 dec 1935

Was I nervous)
.4.
celebrate it, just five us a 

thought, & hope that I'll be

joining you for that event this

time next year.

We received quite a number

of Hampers from the Comforts Fund,

& from what I hear we should

be able to have quite a pleasant

time for our Xmas.

As I have to send a couple

of rather important telegrams, reckon

I had better get them away in

the morning, am led to believe

that the traffic is rather heavy

in that regard, & gee I'd hate

someone to be disappointed,

would just love to be able to

present my compliments etc personally

reckon that you feel just the

same way about it.

That cable you sent Love

5.

was very nice & much appreciated,

just as you say I didn't have

to wonder why it was sent

this time, thought maybe when

you sent the other, that you

had heard something similar.

Should imagine by this

that the Q'cliff is right up to

the height of its season, & that

there were would be plenty

of people around the place, & that

if you would be able to  find

plenty to do & somewhere to go

at night.  Reckon that you

would be seeing the boat in

& out,  remember just how hard

it was to get me to go along,

think I' be just like a lamb

right now & wouldn't take any

kidding at all.

How is the tennis progressing

.6.

guess you would have ample

opportunities to show your form,

only don't improve too much, would

very nice if you can toss me

when I get back.

Well Darling am afraid I

can't find any news for the present,

hope to do better if I collect a

letter tomorrow.  In case you dont

get my cables in, I wish you

& all at home a very ^Merry Xmas &

a happy new year, & for the 28th,

I only hope that your memories

are just as pleasant as mine,

(six years the happiest I have

ever spent in my life, good luck

Darling, hope that there will be

many more of them).

I do miss you & love you more

than ever.

"Cheerio"

With all my love & kisses

Regards to Ma Pa & Mabel.

Frank XXXXXXX

No. 74.

VX 25593

W.O."  D.F. Smith

Sigs 8 Aust Div

A.I.F.

Malaya

22.12.41

My Darling Rene,

Received your

most welcome letter last night,

was very pleased to hear from

you as I had missed out on the

previous mail.  By all accounts 

you folk are being rotated

over there, a fair bit more than

we are.  Things are still very

much the same here with us,

nothing startling happening up

to date, see they had a bit

of a crack at our home K.L., reckon

I've still a soft spot for that place,

it being our first camp, & the folks

there being so good to us.

2. 

Many thanks for the Order,

& also the one from Mabel, I

assure you both I'll have no

trouble getting to a canteen to

break them up.  Sent a few

cables on Sunday, but am led

to believe that they havent

much of a show of reaching their

destination in time, but if they

dont I have had a go.  Thank

Mabel for her very nice letter,

& her good wishes, tell her that

I wont forget to stand side on

as she suggests, am afraid that

an affliction that I'll never be

able to live down.

Am sorry to state that

I haven't yet forwarded my parcel,

as far as the elephants go, Ive

still to locate my kit box,

had to leave it behind when

.3.

we moved out, since we have

arrived back I haven't had a 

chance to locate it, with regard

to the present I still have

a few bob in the purse for

that purpose, & am waiting a

chance to do something with

it, get quite a few trips into

the city, but unfortunately 

its not near any shopping centres.

Well Love, Xmas Eve tomorrow 

night, would just give the

world to be strolling down Hesse

St with you, maybe have a look

at the show B & H put up.

Judging by the quantities

of Cob & Drinks etc that we have

received during the last few days

we should have a very enjoyable 

Xmas, our Mess have purchased 

3 turkeys, cold storage, all the